Online video games make the world go round as you can connect with some of your buddies at any location to play with and against one another. However, where would we be without some of the greatest sports video games in history?
Today, we will discuss three of the best video games in the sports genre as they helped set the path for today’s games. We are only going to stick to three games, so honorable mentions to Fight Night Round 3, Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out, and NCAA Football 14.
MVP Baseball 2005
Whether you like betting on baseball or not, MVP Baseball 2005 is the best baseball game ever created as they made this game a lot of fun while keeping the essence of the game fun. The online gameplay along with the stars and at bats, helped the case that this game was ahead of its time, and possibly the best baseball game ever.
While we had Boston Red Sox slugger Manny Ramirez on the cover, the legend of John Dowd was created. For those unfamiliar with Barry Bonds not allowing his likeness in MLB games, the developers would create him with a fake player, John Dowd.
The create a stadium feature made things a lot of fun as you could create outlandish stadiums to fit however you saw fit. Also, the minigames were incredible, especially the batting minigame. The interface of the game, in general, made it a lot of fun, and that just showcases what every sports game needs to be successful.
Madden NFL 2004
Michael Vick. That’s the whole thing. Do I even need to say anything else?
Madden NFL 2004 had Atlanta Falcons Michael Vick on the cover and was one of the most iconic games in the series. It came to the point that people were not allowed to use the Atlanta Falcons in games because of how elite Vick was at scrambling and picking up first downs and touchdowns with his legs and arm.
Another major improvement that we saw here was the addition of team relocation and taking control of the franchise. This game allowed you to set your home stadium’s concession prices as well, so that means you finally were able to have complete control of the entire team as a whole. This game was revolutionary in the sports field, which helped make it one of the top sports games of all time.
NBA Jam
Have you ever just wanted to kick back and play a basketball game but not have to go through a simulation of an entire NBA game? Well, that is what NBA Jam has to offer! The game is a two-on-two arcade basketball game and makes it fun to compete against some iconic duos.
The game announcer Tim Kitzrow adds to the effect with his over-the-top calls while you are draining a halfcourt shot or in the middle of a posterizing dunk.
Having iconic duos like Hakeem Olajuwon and Kenny “The Jet” Smith and Isiah Thomas and Bill Laimbeer, there are 27 different duos that can step up and make the game dynamic. Another huge thing is the fun addition of some game modes like big head mode and makes the replay.
Conclusion
There have been some extremely iconic sports video games in the 30+ years that the genre continues. We have had some great games and some borderline sucky ones to feast on the game’s lifecycle.
Whether it would be for graphics, innovative game mechanics, or just an overall great time playing the game, there are some titles that just easily hit the Mount Rushmore of sports video games. These three games have a mixture of those things that made time fly by and are still incredible games to play almost 20 years after their release date.
What sports are video game titles getting disrespected here? Let us know what you think here.
Leave a Reply